Thousands of protesters have gathered in capital Prishtina to protest in support of former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, who was arrested and later released on bail in France on Serbia’s request.
Serbia, which issued an international arrest warrant back in 2004, accuses Haradinaj for crimes against Serbian civil population in Kosovo. He was previously tried and found innocent by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.
Haradinaj, who chairs the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, an opposition political party in Kosovo, is held in France since January 4th. He stayed for a week in custody before being released on bail. A new judicial hearing is to be held in France once Serbia requests his extradition. Haradinaj is not allowed to leave France until a new court verdict.
Speaking at the protest, Fatmir Limaj, the chairman of the Initiative for Kosovo, requested from the government to halt the Brussels mediated dialogue with Serbia until Belgrade withdraws all international arrest warrants for the former Kosovo Liberation Army fighters.
Hysni Gucati, the chairman of the Organization of War Veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), who called the protest, said that KLA fought against Serbian military, not Serbian civilians. “KLA has made a clean war,” he said.
He recalled that Haradinaj was twice found innocent by the International Court for War Crimes in the Hague.
“Paris and the entire civilized world know that,” Gucati said./tvklan.al
